Block-signal apparatus.



A &.d 1%W A. BEVAN.

BLOCK SIGNAL APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1908.

1,146,993. Patented July 20,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY A. BEVAN.

BLOCK SIGNAL APPARATUS. APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. r. 9oa.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Red Wine FOZZG/ Mfz5-0 3 SHEETS'SHEET 3- ens BLOCK-SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1 915."

' Application filed February 7, 1908. Serial No. 414,670.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that'I, ALEXANDER BnvAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in thecounty of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Block-Signal Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a system of automatic control and signalingfor trolley cars which is particularly adapted for use on single trackroads, and the object of the invention is to provide means forautomatically cutting off the source of current sup ply from insulatedsections of trolley wire at the various turnouts, and means also forautomatically operating the proper danger and safety signals by thepassing cars.

The special feature of the system is the arrangement whereby a car onleaving a turnout to enter an unoccupied blockautomatically cuts off thecurrent supply from an insulated section of trolley wire at the nextturnout in advance, thus preventing the entrance of a car from theopposite direction while the block is occupied, and also automaticallydisplays a warning or danger signal at said turnout. This end isaccomplished without affecting the continuity of the main trolley wire,so that the current supply is unaffected except locally at the turnoutimmediately in advance of the op crating car. The signals are display edin such a manner as to indicate at each end. of a block the direction inwhich the car or cars maybe moving in said block. Distinct improvementsare also claimed in the manner of constructing and operating the circuitcontroller, as well as in the arrangement of the setting and clearingmagnet circuits,

whereby two cars entering a block from opposite endsat the same time; orone car entering and another car leaving a block from opposite ends atthe same time, can not disarrange the system.

The system comprises one signal box and two circuit closers located ateach end of a block, so arranged that a car on leaving a turnout toenter a clear block sets in operation the mechanism to open a circuitand simultaneously display a danger signal at the farther and of theblock, and also close a circuit to display a safety signal at theentering end.

The important features 'ofmy improved system may be summarized asfollows: First, a car on entering a block cuts off current supply from acar at the opposite end and also removes aclear signal atrthatend.

Second, the same mechanism which cuts "off the current and removes theclear signal also serves to close the circuit danger signal at theopposite end and safety signal at the entering end. Third, when thesignals are set they cannot be alfectedby a car entering from theopposite end. Fourth, if two cars operate the signals from opposite endsat exactly the same time current is out off from both cars,and bothclear signals are removed. Flfth, 1f a car enters one end at the sametime a car is leaving the block at the other.

end the signals are not affected by the entering car.

These features and the manner of operation will be readily understoodfrom the following detailed description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings in which similar characters designatecorresponding parts in all'the views.

Figure 1-is aside elevation of the mechanism, partly in section, showingthe casing in outline with one side removed. Fig. 2- is a frontelevation of the mechanism partly in section with the casing removed.Fig. 3is a detail in perspective showing the movable yoke or back ironwhich is operated by the clearing magnets 44 and raised to automaticallybreak the circuit through the opposite magnets 3*?) when said clearingmagnets are'energized. Fig. l is a side elevation, partly inperspective, of the contact forming disk showing the circular bridgeadapted to make the contact between termi nals 26 and 75 when the firstcar enters the block and break the same when the last car leaves theblock. Fig. 5'represents the opposite side of said disk showing theshort radially disposed'bridges 24 and 30 connecting the terminals 26and 27 and 28 and 29, respectively. Fig. 61s an edge new of said diskshowing the connections to all'of the terminals. Fig. 7 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the wiring and the general operation ofthe mechanism, Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic view illustrating. the system asapplied to double track roads.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a suitable base or frame towhich is attached the supports for all the parts and working mechanism.Supported on the bracket 2 are the operating magnets 33 and 44, theformer being energized by the entering cars to set the signals, and thelatter by the outgoing cars to clear the signals. The bracket 5 afiordssuitable bearings for the shaft 6, upon which shaft is fixed the spurwheel 7 and the other parts rotatable therewith. Supportedalso' bybracket 5 is a sec.- ond' shaft 8 upon which is mounted the armatureframe 9, which frame carries both the armatures 10 and 11, the saidarmatures being controlled separately by the operating magnets 33 and44, respectively.

Integral with the armature frame 9 are the curved arms 12 and 13, towhich are pivoted the pawls 14 and 15. These pawls are provided withsuitable lugs to limit their downward motion, while the springs 18 and19 are provided to control the pressure of the pawls while engaging thespur wheel.

Projecting inwardly from the curved arms 12 and 13 are the stop lugs 20and 21, which are adapted to engage the teeth of the spur wheel to lockthe same from rotating more than one step at a time with each actuationof the pawls. ,A coiled spring 22 is connected from'the bracket to thepin 22 in the lower side of the auxiliary frame whereby said frame andpawls are restored to normal or median position after each actuation bythe operating magnets.

Mounted also on shaft 6 is an electric switch consisting of a disk ofinsulating material 23, see Figs. 4, 5 and 6, carrying on one side ashort metallic radially disposed bridge 24 and on the other side anannular bridge 25; the former servingto close the circuit to theinsulated section of trolley wire through terminals 26 and 27 and thelatter serving to close the circuit of the safety signal throughterminals 26 and? 5 when the first car enters the block, and keep itclosed while the block is occupied. The U-shaped terminal 26 isconnected directly with the main trolley wire or feed cable, and theterminal 27 is connected directly to the insulated section of trolleywire, and the terminal -7 5 is included in the safety signal circuit.The terminals 28 and 29 are normally connected .by bridge 30 alsocarried by disk 23, but are disconnected by the first actuation-of thesignal setting magnet 33, and remain so until the signal mechanism isreturned to normal or clear position. The above-connections and circuitswill be readily seen and traced by reference to the wiringldiagram Fig.7 p

igidly secured to shaft 6 is the detent wheel 31, against which is heldthe roll 32 in the lower end of arm 32 by a spring (not shown) toprevent the accidental r0ta 37 by means ofthe bar 38, said target beingprovided with the usual transparent-center Mounted on and fixed to theshaft 34 is the double crank 39 to whose oifset portion is attached thespiral spring 40, the other end ofsaid spring being attached to theunderside of the target frame 36. As the crank is rocked or oscillatedfrom side to side by the arm 33 the pull of the spiral spring 40 isshifted from one side to the other of the axis of shaft 34 and so servesto swing the target with an easy flexible motion from the safety to thedanger position when the first car enters the block and restores thesame only when the last car leaves the block. To limit the oscillatingmotion of shaft 34, a finger 41 mounted thereon, vibrates betweensuitably located stop pins secured to thebracket 5. A stop pin 44 isalso provided to arrest the motion of the arm 33 upon its return tonormal position.

An essential feature of my invention is that the yoke or back-iron 45 ofthe clearing magnets 4-4, instead of being fastened'permanently to thecores as is usual, is free to move up and down on the guide pins 4647(see Fig. 5), and is thus free to drop away slightly out of contact withthe lower poles of said magnets when the same are deenergized. A contactstrip 48, connected to, but insulated from, the lower portion of saidback-iron, is arranged to rest upon and bridge the terminals 49--50, andsupport said back-iron when the same is in its down position, saidterminals being included in the circuit of the setting magnets 33.

Since each car, as it leaves the block, energizes the clearing magnets44, lifting their back-iron 45 and opening the circuit of thecorresponding setting, or stepping-in, magnets 33, at terminals 49 and50, it is evident that a car entering the block at the same time anothercar may be leaving the block cannot actuate the signal mechanism.

' The solenoid 67 and the auxiliary signal 66 are connected in seriescircuit directly to the conductor 68, which conductor receives itscurrent from wire 78 through bridge 25, and conducts current to theinsulated section 60 as well as to t e solenoid 67 and auxiliary signal66, hence under normal conditions said solenoid will be energized, andthe lamp 66 will be lighted to indicate that the block ahead is clear.Supported upon the core of said solenoid, but insulated therefrom, is ametal bridge 69 which is normally held out of contact with the terminals70 and'71, but which is adapted to drop to connect said terminals whensaid solenoid is deenergized by the first car to enter from the oppositeend of the block. Mounted upon the armature frame 9 is the bridge 7 2The operation of the system be morefully described as follows: A carentering from the left, as shown in Fig. 7, operates the circuit closerat 61 energizing the setting magnet 3'3'- of signal B. Spur wheel 7 isrotated one notch to the left, causing the annularbridge 25 to break theconnection between the terminals 26 and 27, thus shutting ofl currentsupply from the insulated section 64: of trolley wire and the auxiliarysignal 66, and also de'nergizing the solenoid 671. This same movementbreaks the ground connection of signal lamp 53 through terminals 28 and29' and connects the terminals 26 and 75' by means of bridge 25. Anelectriccircuit is thus established from the trolley through wire 78',terminals 26-"5, terminals 73-74, dang'er signal '51, terminals 7l70,line wire 7 6, signal 53 in the (oppositehbox A and terminals 2829 toground. The display of signal- 53 thus afiords evidence that the signalat B has operated. Each successive entering car will cause spur Wheel 7to move one notch to the left maintaining the conditionsalreadyestablished, except that each actuation of the armature frame 9' causesthe bridge 72 to, temporarily break the connection at terminals 73 and74', thereby interrupting the circuit of both the danger signal 51 andthe safety signal 53 as As the cars leave the block each car operatesthe circuit closer 63 to energize the magnet l4, thus returning theparts step by step toward normal until the last car goes out, when thetrolley connection with the insulated section 64 will be reestablishedand normal conditions restored. Cars may now enter from the oppositedirection when similar operations will take place at signal A by virtueof the'connections made through circuit closers 65 and 62, respectively.The above described action will occur under all ordinary conditions. If,however, two cars on leaving their turnouts to enter a block fromopposite ends should operate the circuit-closers 61 and 65 at exactlythe same time both setting magnets 3-3 and 3-3 traced above.

would be energized, causing both bridges 25 and 25 to be moved to theposition rep-- resented by bridge 25 in Fig. 7, as explained. With thebridges 25 and 25 actuated as just described, the supply of currentwould be cut off from both insulated sections 60 and 64:, stopping bothcars on a dead wire and extinguishing the clear signals, while neithersafety signal could be displayed since the ground connection of bothwould be open at the terminals 2829 and 28 29. To provide for thisemergency normally open spring snap-switches S and S are inserted at anyconvenient location between the trolley wire connections and theclearing magnet circuits, so that the conductor whodias the right of wayaccording to the rules of the road may turn his switch closingtemporarily the circuit of the clearing magnet at his signal, therebyactuating the signal mechanism to restore current to his car and groundhis safety signal, when his car may proceed regularly while the othercar waits for its passage. Further, if one car should enter at exactlythe same time that another car is leaving. the block, thus closing thecircuits of-both the setting and the clearing magnets in the same box atthe same time, the clearing magnet would at once lift its back-iron 45,or 45, as the case might be, and break the circuit of the correspondingsetting magnet at terminals 49 and 50, or 49 and 50, thus preventingsaidsetting magnet from acting. The entering car would not therefore getits safety signal, and must back out and try again, or else go aheadwith due caution, being warned that something is wrong.

The system'may be readily applied to spacing cars or trains on doubletrack roads by dividing the trolley wire into insulated sections overeach track, and arranging the contacts and connections to operate thesig nal boxes in the rear of each car or train, as shown in Fig. 12. Inthis simplified diagram only the connections illustrating the method ofcutting off the supply of current from the insulated sections of trolleywire and of displaying the danger signal at the preceding station areshown, it being understood that the other connections may be modified tomeet the new conditions or omitted according to the requirements.

The term block in the specifications and claims means thestretch oftrack between two turnouts, and when referring to double track a singleinsulated section constitutes a block.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is:

1 In an electric railway block signaling system, an insulated section oftrolley wire at the entrance of each end of a block normally connectedto the power circuit, a sigcuit controller at the farther end of theblock,

thereby causing the said circuit controller to disconnect both theinsulated section and signaling device from the power circuit, the

said circuit controller being likewise operable by each succeeding carto prevent the restoration to normal conditions until the last car ofthe series leaves the block.

2. In a railway block signaling system, signals at each end of theblock, circuits for said signals, a controller for each of said signalcircuits, a magnet for opening and a magnet for closing each of saidcircuits through the actuation of a controller, a switch included in thecircuit of one of said magnets, the said switch being operated by theactuation of the other of said magnets to prevent the simultaneousactuation of both of said magnets.

3. In a railway block signaling system, a

danger signal and a safety signal at each end of a block, the dangersignal at either end being operable in series circuit with the safetysignal at the other end, a signal circuit controller at each end of theblock, a magnet for operating each circuit controller to close thesignal circuit when a car enters the block, a magnet for operating eachcircuit controller to open the signal circuit when a car leaves theblock, a switch included in the circuit-of each of the former of saidmagnets, the said switch being opened by the actuation of the latter ofsaid magnets to prevent the simultaneous actuation of both of saidmagnets, whereby a car entering the block at the same time that a carmay be leaving a block is prevented from actuating the system.

4. An electric railway block signaling system comprising a safety signaland a danger signal at each end of a block, a signal circuit includingthe safety signal at one end and the danger signal at the other end ofthe block, a rotatable circuit controller at each end of a block forclosing and opening the signal circuit, a magnet for operating eachcircuit controller to close the signal circuit, a magnet for operatingeach controller to open the signal circuit, a trolley switch operable bya passing car to close and open each of said magnet circuits, :1 switchincluded in the'circuit of one of said magnets, the said switch beingoperated by the actuasystem including a signal at each end of a blocknormally indicating a clear track, a danger signal and a safety signalat each end' of a block normally inoperative, the

danger signal at either end of a block being operable in series circuitwith the safety signal at the opposite end, a rotatable spur wheel andan electric circuit controller simultaneously rotatable therewith ateach end of a block, magnets for rotating each of said wheels andcircuit controllers step by step in either direction, a circuit for eachof said magnets, a trolley switch included in the circuit of eachmagnet, one of the said trolley switches being operable by the first ofa series of entering cars to close a magnet circuit at the farther endof the block, thereby actuating the spur wheel and attached circuitcontroller to remove the clear signal and also operate the danger signaland the safety signal in series circuit therewith, the said circuitcontroller being actuated again in the same direction by each succeedingcar to prevent the restoration to normal conditions until the last carleaves the block.

6. An electric railway block signaling system including an insulatedsection of trolley wire at each end of a block normally connected to thepower circuit, a clear signal at each end of block normally operative, adanger signal and a safety signal at each end of a block normallyinoperative, the danger signal at either end of a'blook being operablein series circuit with the safety signal at the opposite end, arotatable spur wheel and attached circuit controller at each end of ablock, magnets for rotating said spur wheel and circuit controller stepby step in either direction, a circuit for each of said magnets, atrolley switch included in each magnet circuit, one of the said trolleyswitches being operable by the first of a series of entering cars toclose the circuit of the magnet at the farther end of the block, therebyactuating the spur wheel and attached'circuit controller to disconnectthe insulated section and remove the clear signal, and also operate thedanger signal and safety signal in series circuit therewith, the saidcircuit controller beingagain actuated in the same direction by eachsucceeding car to prevent the restoration to normal conditions until thelast car of the series leaves the block.

7. A block signal system comprising a single track including sidings atintervals, an insulated section of trolley wire located over the leavingend of each branch of a right or entering end of each branch of asiding, said entering ends of the trolley branches being connected toeach other across the approximate middle of each siding, signals locatedat the sidings,a trolley switch located upon each insulated section nearthe entering end thereof, means including one of said trolley switches,whereby a car upon passing said trolley switch automatically cuts offthe power from the insulated section of trolley wire under which thecars pass moving in the opposite direction at the next siding ahead, andat the same time automatically causes the display ofsuitable signalswhile the power is so cut off, and

means .whereby said car on entering upon the next siding automaticallyrestores the power so cut ofl, and at the same time automaticallychanges the signal indications.

8. In combination with a single track electrical trolley car line, itssingle track supplied at intervals with sidings, signals located at thesidings, an insulated section of trolley wire near the leaving end ofeach branch of each siding, a trolley switch located .upon eachinsulated section near the entering end thereof, means including one ofsaid trolley switches, whereby a car upon passing said trolley switchautomatically cuts oil" the power from the insulated section of trolleywire under which the cars pass moving in the opposite siding ahead, andat the same time automatically causes the display of suitablesigdirection at the next nals while the power is so out 011', and meanswhereby said car on entering upon the next siding automatically restoresthe power so out 013?, and at the same time automatically changes thesignal indications, substantially as described.

9. In combination with, a single, track electrical car line, its singletracksupplied atintervals with sidings, signals located at the sidings,an insulated section of trolley wire near the leaving end of each branchof each siding, a trolley switch located on each insulated-section nearthe entering end thereof, means including one of said trolley switcheswhereby a car or the first of a series of two or more cars upon passingsaid trolley switch automatically cuts off the power from the section oftrolley wire under which cars pass moving in the opposite direction atthe next siding ahead, and at the same time automatically causes thedisplay of suitable signals while the power is so cut off, and meanswhereby such car or the last of such series of two or more cars onentering the next siding automatically restores off and at the same timechanges the signal indicathe power so cut automatically tions.

In testimony whereof I aflix in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER BEVAN.

my signature Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLoW, E. I. OGDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. v

